Apparatus for charging inclined gas-retorts.



No. 643,633 Patented Feb; 20, I900. A. 602E.

APPARATUS I- OR CHARGING INCLINED GAS BETORTS.

(Application filed Jan. 11, 1899,.) (No Model.) 5 Sheqts-Sheet 1.

m L L A wag/MAM Q vwa ndoz/ l 5 No'. 643,633. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

A. 0025. "APPARATUS FOR CHARGING INGLINED GAS BETOBTS.

(Application filed Jan. 11, 1899.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

FIG -4- No. 643,633. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGlNG INCLINE!) GAS mzmms.

(Application filed Jpn. 11, 1899.)

(No Model. 5 Sheets-Sheet 3.

4 a new THE NDRR'IS Perms c0, wuofoumov. WASHINGTON, n c.

No. 643,633. Patented Feb. 20, I900. A. cozE.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING INCLINED GAS BETURTS.

(Annlication filed Jan. 11, 1899.) (No-Model.)

5 Sheets-$heet 4,

FIG?

m: Noams PETERS co;MeToLnW-mmv WASHINGTON, u. c.

No. 643,633. Patented Feb. 20,1900.- A. 0025.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING INGLINED GAS RETORTS.

(Application filed Jan. 11, 1899.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 5.

(No Model.)

$49: (9% Vow arm-s PETERS :0 wow L UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDRE GOZE, or RHEIMS, FRANCE.

APPARATUS FOR CHARGING INCLINED GAS RETORTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 643,633, dated February 20, 1900. Application filed anua y 11, 1899. Serial No- 701,810. (No model.)

To CtZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ANDRE: OozE, of 12 Rue du Grenier a Sel, Rheims, Marne, in the Republic of France, have invented Improvements in Apparatus for Charging Inclined Gas-Retorts, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a system of automatically charging inclined gas-retorts; and

the invention is chiefly characterized by the employment of a horizontal or inclined railway upon which run thetrolleys from which the charging-buckets are suspended for the purpose of being brought exactly opposite and at the proper height with regard to the retorts to be charged.

Theinvention consists of the novel arrangement and combination of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed. a

My invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawings, wherem- Figure 1 represents in front elevation a portion of a general view of the charging apparatus disposed in front of a bench of inclined retorts. Fig. 1 illustratesthe remaining portion of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1, the view drawn in Fig. 1 commencing where the view in Fig. 1 leaves 0%. Fig. 2 is a plan view of that portion of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1. Fig. 2 is a like view of that portion of the apparatus represented in Fig. 1 Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section of the apparatus. Fig. 4 shows separately, in elevation and plan, a detail of the switch for the trolleys. Fig. 5 is a detail face view of a modification of the charging-bucket. Fig. 6

- is a corresponding side view of the same,

taken at right angles to the view shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side view of another modification of the charging-bucket with the mechanism which cooperates therewith. Fig. 8 is a corresponding face view of the same. Fig. 9 is a detail face view of the automatic feedregulator. Fig. 10 is a plan view of the charging-bucket. Fig. 11 is also a plan view of the charging-bucket and its mechanism for opening and closing the discharge-valve. Fig. 12 is a face View of the bucket-charging hopper and its valve-operating mechanism. Fig. 13 shows separately a vertical section of the casing within which slides the-counterbalanceweight for balancing the retort -charging bucket. Fig. 14 is a detail view of a part of the apparatus to be hereinafter referred to. Fig. 15 is a side view of another modification of the charging-bucket. Fig. 16 is a plan of the same.

The sameletters and figures of reference denote like parts in all the figures.

The apparatus for charging retorts which forms the subjectmatter of my invention consists, essentially, of two buckets a a, each containing, for example, three hundred kilograms (about six hundredweight) of coal, which is supplied from a fixed supply-hopper 1). Each bucket is suspended from a carrier c c, which travels above the bench of retorts upon a horizontal or inclined rail 01. To each carrier is attached a counterweight e to haul it up the incline when the bucket is empty and prevent it descending when loaded. The charging-bucket is capable of being lowered to different levels by being suspended by a pair of chains f from drums g, .each having an attached box h, containing a coiled spring 1', said parts being mounted loose on a shaft is and the spring-boxes it being ratchettoothed for engagement by pawls Z, operated by a chain m. The left-hand box 77. carries a brake-drum encircled by a brake-strap n, which is maintained in constant action by a weight 0 on a rod 19, jointed to a lever-arm g. In order to lower the full bucket to the level of the retort to be charged, the pawls Z are first put out of gear by moving the chain m, the bucket still being prevented from descending by the brake-strap until the latter is released, whereupon the bucket can be lowered as slowly as desired until its motion is again arrested by the brake. then allowed to reengage in the ratchets simply as an additional safeguard. When the bucket descends, the springs i are put in tension under the weight of the coal, and after it has been emptied by again relieving the The pawls are Y brake, as before, the springs in uncoiling rorelease of the brake. Then the bucket is in position for charging the retort, the sliding chute i is moved downwardly until the lug 11. opens the valve o by acting on lever-arm w, the valve having meanwhile been held closed by a lever g which bears against a spring, so as to prevent the discharge of the coal before the sliding chute has entered the mouth of the retort. On raising the sliding chute the stud u recloses the valve. In order to arrest the bucket at the proper height, three bars 5, z, and 1 are arranged along the front of the bench, of which the two upper ones, .2", are adjustable longitudinally by means of a lever 5, so as to throw tappets 3 on the upper bar and tappets 4 on the second barinto and out of operative position, the bottom bar 1 being stationary. The bucket is arrested at the proper level by a tappet 2, mount-ed thereon, meeting one of the tappets 3 of bar .2, if it is desired to charge the upper row of retorts, or one of the tappets 4 of bar ,2" for charging the intermediate row of retorts or the fixed bar 1 for charging the bottom row of retorts, the adjustable bars ,2" being in the latter case so adjusted that the tappet 2 passes clear of the tappets 3 and 4. Vhen the rail is inclined and the bucket is filled with, say, six hundredweight of coal, the counterbalance-weight c not being sufficient to retain it the bucket runs down the incline d, and in order that the movement of the bucket may be arrested when it arrives above the retort to be charged a shoe Sis brought into position on the rail, this shoe being carried by a carrier 6, running on the rail and moved along by a handle 7. When the front wheel of carrier 0 runs onto the shoe 8, the latter is caused by the weight of the bucket to grip the rail, and at the same time a latch 9 engages with the carrier 0 and prevents the weight 3 from acting during the charging of the retort. After the retort has been charged the latch 9 is released by pulling the chain 10 to allow the bucket to be returned to coal-hopper b by the counterweight, the inclination at this extremity of the rail being a little greater, so as to decrease the speed of the carrier on returning and facilitate starting. On arriving at the coal-Suppl y hopper the carrier acts on a lever 11, which, through the medium of the bevel-gearing 12, causes the flap-valve 13 to open, so as to allow of filling the bucket. When it contains six hundredweight of coal, the carrier commences to run down the incline, the valve being then closed by the weight 14. It is, however, necessary that the movement of the bucket should be arrested until the attendant is ready for it, for which purpose a stop 15 is provided, which is jointed in such manner as to allow of the empty bucket passing freely in one direction, but which will permit the loaded bucket to descend the inline only when the attendant pulls the chain 16, connected to another chain 17, which is maintained in tension by a weight 18.

In order to economize time in charging the retorts, two buckets a a are employed, one being filled while the other is being emptied. The coal-hopper b is provided with two discharge-orifices, each closed by a valve, the opening of which is effected by the arrival of the empty bucket, as hereinbefore described. The rail d is bifurcated near its extremity and provided with a switch 19, Fig. 4, pivoted at 20. Before one bucket returns to the loading position the other bucket is in the waiting position. (Represented in dotted lines in Fig. 2.) The switch is operated by rods on the carriers. For bucket a the switch 19 is closed by the finger 21, in which position it is supported at its extremity by the ledge 22. The fixed rail has a groove 23 for the passage of the flange on the carrier-wheels. When the bucket a, for instance, has been loaded, it is arrested by the stop 15 until the latter is withdrawn. After the stop-shoe 8 is brought to the required position for charging a retort in any row the bucket a, being released, runs down the incline until its carrier is arrested by the stop 8 and engaged by the latch 9. The bucket being then above the retort to be charged, the rods .3 z are adjusted by their lever 5 so that the tappet 2 on the bucket will meet one of the tappets 3 and 4 or the stationary bar 1, as the case may be, when the ratchet-gear is released by acting on rod 19, and the bucket is allowed to descend slowly under the control of the brake until it comes exactly opposite the retort to be charged.

When the retort is charged, the bucket is allowed to rise, the latch 9 is disengaged, and the bucket is returned to the filling-hopper Z) by the action of weight 6.

WVhile the bucket a is being filled the full bucket acis brought in the same way opposite to the retort to be charged, and so on alternately for each of the two buckets.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7the hopper bis provided with a spout-valve 13, whereby the coal may be delivered to the chargingbucket a or a. The spout 13 is held open when the latch-rod 24 occupies the position shown, so that its notch 25 engages with the bracket 26. As soon as the bucket a has received the quantity of coal necessary for charging the retort the spout-valve 13 is closed automatically. For this purpose the bucket a has on each side an angle-iron bracket 27, which rests upon springs 28, mounted within a hanger 29 of the carrier 0 or 0, so that when the bucket a is fully charged the Weight of the load compresses the springs 28 and the bucket descends slightly. A finger 30, fixed to the back of the bucket, engages in a slot 31 in the releasing-handle 32, so that the latter participates in the slight downward movement of the bucket. This handle is connected to one arm of an elbow-lever 33, pivoted at 34 to the'bracket 26, while the other arm of lever 33 bears against the rod 24, which by the action of the elbow-lever is disengaged from bracket 26 and allows the counterweight 35 to oscillate and raise the spout-valve 13, which then closes the delivery-aperture of hopper b.

In order to discharge the load contained in the bucket 11 into a retort of any row, the bucket a is inclosed in an extension-casing 36, balanced by a counterweight 37. When this extension 36 is lowered until it is opposite the retort to be charged, the chute 38, mounted in the bottom of the extension-casing 36, is slid into the mouth of the retort by means of handle 39 until the lug u strikes lever 03 and opens the delivery valve 4), as before described. Then by moving the chain 40 in the direction of arrow 41 a sliding door in the bottom of bucket a is opened, and the coal contained in the bucket is transferred to the extension-casing,- and thereby discharged into the retort. The bucket at having been emptied, chain 40 is operated in the direction of arrow 42 to close the door of bucket a, and the chute 38 is retracted until its lug it strikes lever m and closes' valve 1;. The bucket a, may then be reloaded by rengaging latch-rod 24 to keep the spout-valve 13 open until it is closed automatically, as before described, by the load in the bucket compressing the springs 28. In the modification shown in Figs.,15 and 1-6 the bucket ct may, as shown in Fig. 7, be provided with a spring-hanger, and the aperture in its bottom is closed by a flap-valve 43, which is operated by a system of levers 44:. The extension-casing 36 is counterbalanced bya weight 37, and the valve 1) instead of being opened by the sliding chute 38 isoperated by a lever 45 through the medium of a pull-rod 46.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a movable carrier, a bucket carried by said carrier and a movable stop cooperating with the carrier to limit the travel thereof, and thereby determine the limit of movement of the bucket with the carnor.

2. The combination with a bucket of a set of stop-bars correspondingto the respective rows of retorts and serving to limit the vertical descent of the bucket, the lower bar being fixed so as to arrest the bucket when its delivery-mouth comes opposite the lowermost row of retorts, the upper bars carrying tappets or abutments which are adjustable so as to bring them into or out of the path of movement of the bucket to arrest the same when they are brought into alinement with the retort to be charged and the corresponding tappet or abutment has been brought into operative position.

3. In the automatic system for charging inclined retorts herein specified, the combination of a bucket, spring-drums from which said bucket is suspended, a substantially horizontal movable carrier for supporting said drums so as to permit the bucket to move in a vertical direction independently of any movement imparted to the carrier and detent mechanism cooperating with said spring drums, whereby the bucket may be moved in a substantially horizontal direction and the spring-drums are placed under tension by the descent of the loaded bucket in a vertical direction and the tension of the spring-drums will be exerted to raise the-empty bucket in a vertical direction.

4. In the automatic system for charging in- .clined retorts, the combination with a fixed supply-hopper, of a charging-bucket cooperating therewith of means for automatically opening the valve of the charging-hopper when a bucket is brought into position to receive a charge and for automatically closing the valve of the charging-hopper when a suit able charge has been received in the bucket.

. 5. In the automatic system for charging inclined retorts, the combination with the bucket of an extension-casing inclosing the bucket telescopically and capable of being lowered until its delivery-orifice comes into line with the retort to be charged.

6. In the automatic system for charging in clined retorts, the combination with a charging-hopper, of a valve controlling the outlet of said hopper, means for operating said valve, a spring-supported bucket and mechanism for establishing a connection between said valveoperating means and the bucket,- whereby the compression of the springs and the descent of the bucket under the load will effect the automatic closure of the delivery-valve of the supply-hopper when the bucket has received a load sufficient for the charging of the retort.

The foregoing specification of my Improvements in apparatus for charging inclined gasretorts signed by me this 30th day of.Deoember, 1898.

ANDRE cozn.

Witnesses:

PAUL EMILE EUGENE LOUIS Cmmrnnrmn, MAURICE HENRI PIGNET. 

